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The following article appeared in the July 22, 1993, issue of University
Week. Reprinted with permission
Modern Heroes
Some cynics claim there are no modern heroes. But high school
students participating in the UW's one-of-a-kind Disabilities,
Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology (DO-IT) program, above,
don't agree. To them Steven Hawking, right is a hero. Hawking, one of
the early developers of the theory of black holes and author of the
best-selling book, A Brief History of Time, spoke to the UW DO-IT
students and students from Seattle University earlier this month through
the aid of a voice synthesizer. He has Lou Gehrig's disease. Hawking
holds the Lucasian Professorship at Cambridge University, which was once
held by Sir Isaac Newton. DO-IT is a three-year pilot program providing
computer and educational training in science, engineering and math to
disabled students. High school students are admitted based on their
grade point averages and interest in science, math and engineering. The
UW College of Engineering program is directed by Sheryl Burgstahler,
assistant director in the Office of Computing and Communications.
Participants are blind, learning disabled, and hearing and health and
mobility impaired. As part of the program, they are loaned home
computers and taught to access Internet, e-mail and other information
systems. The students will attend a 14-day program on campus Aug. 8-28,
where they will attend classes given by college professors. DO-IT is
funded by a $1.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation.
DO-IT resources
